Signs of Familiarity
by Pixie Child
Summary: It's been a long, up-and-down day.  -Jo/Zane-


**Pairing**: Jo Lupo/Zane Donovan  
**Timeline**: 4.04 - The Story of O2  
**A/N**: In no way connected to my (second) 4.03 tag, but ohmygod! They did the thing, with the nickname, and it aired right _after_ I wrote mine! *spazes about* So cool!  
**Written for**: eureka_tag LJ  
**Feedback**: is a must!  
**Disclaimer**: Not mine. I play with other people's toys.  
**First Posted**: August 04, 2010

* * *

"This town may go up in flames. I wanted to thank you for not letting me hang for it."

"Just doing my job." I nodded, trying not letting his thanks mean anything more to me then he'd intended it. But after being in the car with him earlier... it was hard. Dr. Blake was right, I needed to remember this man isn't the same one I remembered.

"Anyways, thanks, Jo-Jo." My head shot up and around, and for a second I couldn't breathe. It was like all the air went out of the room.

"What did you call me?" I asked him, a little desperately. I couldn't have heard him right. It had to be wishful thinking.

"Sorry." He looked at me, and he actually looked confused. My voice must have given away more than I thought. "You hate that?" He pointed at me, and _his_ voice got a little higher. I tried to respond, I really did, but I couldn't. All of a sudden, it was like _my_ Zane was standing in front of me. "Yeah, you hate it." He gave me that adorable/obnoxious smirk that I haven't seen since we got back to our own time and my heart broke a little, but it was to busy swelling with love and hope for me to really care. _This_ is the man I've been protecting. I knew he was still here. I _knew_ it.

.-.

When we were watching Dr. Blake, Dr. Grant and Kevin detonate the balloons, it still felt weird not standing beside Zane, but after the weeks of Zane acting like he hated me, the curious glances he keep sneaking at me were the most precious thing in the world.

When the screen flashed red, I remembered back when Zoe's science partner created the sun and how much fun Zane'd had putting it out. He'd been so full of child-like joy with the challenge. Even as the rest of the town was melting into the pavement, he'd been running on adrenaline and pure geekeness. Everything about him I'd fallen in love with was radiating from him. Then I remembered the pain I'd felt when I told him I loved him and he'd ran. It was like my heart was being burned by that second sun, only once everything was over, it hadn't gone away with the light, heat and election madness. I remembered being torn between killing him or myself. It was the worst feeling in the world. I never thought I could feel like that, and once it was over and Zane managed to grow a pair and say it back to me, I never thought I would feel that way again. Then the timeline went to hell, and I felt like that all over again. Only the second time, it was worse because there wasn't a fight to get over. Hell, there wasn't a _relationship_ to go back _to_.

By the time the light on the screen went down, I was in my own internal angst and it took me a moment to remember where I was and what I was watching. I had already turned to hug Zane in celebration before I really remembered _when_ I was, though. Luckily, Fargo didn't seem to think it was too weird when my hands landed on him, one on his back and the other briefly patting his suit lapels. I could Zane cheering in the background and all I wanted at that moment was throw my arms around him before dragging him off to the nearest closet for a celebratory grope. But that was how Zane&Jo, the snarky bi-entity, would have responded, _not_ the actions of Dr. Donovan and Security Chief Lupo. I took a few shallow breaths. I could deal with this.

In the time it took me to collect myself (_again_), I'd missed Fargo realize that neither Allison or Grant had checked in. But after a moment of everyone back at GD holding their breaths, Dr. Blake's son broke the worried silence.

"Yeah, baby! Two hydrogens and one oxygen. That is what I'm talking about!"

"Grant. Grant, can you hear me?"

I could hear Dr. Grant's voice when he finally answered, much calmer then Kevin was. "Yes. Yes, we're all safe. It's raining."

"Everyone's save!" Fargo closed his hand around the tiny phone and pumped his fist in the air. I took my cue (as his second-in-command, which has Larry _fuming_, much to Fargo's amusement) and began to clap, and soon everyone was applauding, as much as a way to relieve the tension as it was in congratulation of the Blakes' and Grant's success.

As the crowd began to disperse, I caught Zane giving me another look and I bit back a grin. I know Zane and in _any_ timeline, if he knew I knew he was watching me, he'd stop. I decided to just go with the flow and leaned against the wall, enjoying the feeling. But this is Eureka and nothing can stay calm for long.

"It's way off target and it's- and that's a residential area!"

My _house?_ Really? This timeline really bites. 


End file.
